Thursday, June 07, 2012

This was me (on the left hand side) in January 2009, 7 months after I had Mackenzie. I wasn’t happy with myself, and had gained a lot of weight with my pregnancy. (I actually gained a lot of weight all 3 pregnancies). Then on the right hand side, that’s me, after losing 35+ lbs and reaching my goal of 155. I was just over 190 lbs in January 2009.

In July 2009, I was at my lowest I’d been in years (149.0), and felt great. I was wearing a medium, which I hadn’t done in years either. Almost all throughout high school I wore a size Large. I used to dance (ballet, tap & jazz) but once I had hit puberty, I got curvy and my thighs filled out. I had lost 25 lbs to bring me to 155 lbs for my wedding in 2005. 155 was a decent weight for my height (just under 5’5). When I was 155 for my wedding, and when I hit 155 in 2009, I liked my figure.

Then in the fall of 2009, just after I lost all the weight and was looking good, I got pregnant, and had a miscarriage. It took 6 months after that to conceive Quentin, and I ate my way through winter. Then I got pregnant with Quentin and by the end of the pregnancy, I was at my heaviest ever pregnant, and after delivering and losing the initial baby weight, I was at my heaviest ever as well, still. I was not happy with myself.

Just after delivering Quentin at the hospital, “first” family photo.

After getting home from the hospital, during Chanukah 2010.

In 2011, I started out at 204.4 in an XL shirt and a size 14 or 16 pant, depending on the company. I couldn’t believe it. I wasn’t happy. I worked hard and in 2011, my lowest towards the fall was 172. I gained back a few pounds over the Christmas holiday and in 2011, I started the year off at 181.8. I got strict with myself in March, cutting out all sugar, and watching my portions. For 1 month I even cut out all diet soda (I don’t drink regular anyhow). I eat only whole wheat products and have not been even eating starch after 5 pm (it sits on you overnight!).

(This picture above was taken recently, in May of 2012, since then I’ve actually lost a few more pounds). And now, I am at my lowest that I’ve been in YEARS! I hit 146.6 this morning. I’d love to lose a few more pounds so that I have leeway for treating myself on the weekend and then taking it off during the week if necessary. I want to stay under 150 lbs. I feel FANTASTIC. And I even have been fitting into a few size small items, I love it! Size small?! If you would have asked me at the beginning of this year if I would ever wear a small again, I would have laughed at you. But it goes to show, that when you are DETERMINED and have DEDICATION, you can do it! Trust me, I did! And this was all without exercise, but with eating properly. It’s totally possible!

The problem is, I still see myself as huge. I tug at my clothes to try and cover the belly, I wear long shirts, that come over my pants. And when I was larger, I never saw myself as big as I was. It’s a vicious cycle, no? The mind works in funny ways. I am still trying to get used to my skinnier self. Luckily I have an entire medium wardrobe from when I lost the weight in 2009. Though, I have 2 wedding and an engagement party coming up after the summer, and don’t have anything to wear. That requires new dressed and shoes too, right?

What have you done to lose weight? What are you secrets to losing weight? What has or has not worked for you? Are you at your happy weight? Let’s talk! Don’t be shy or if you are, message me privately. I am open, or I would have not written all my numbers above! I’ve done so many “diets” over the years, but I finally combined all that I learned from all of them, put them together, (the things that worked) and managed to lose the weight. I still have a little belly bump (I guess that is normal after having 3 kids), but I get in those daily crunches (that’s all I’m doing for exercise lately – with 3 kids, and I’m still home with Quentin for a bit longer, I have NO time to exercise, and evenings I’m so tired I have no energy to do so). The belly bump hangs a bit where my 2 Csection scars are, but I’m hoping with doing some stomach toning that I will be able to get rid of it, eventually.

Don't forget to enter the contest for the knitting book! Contest ends this Saturday night 06/09/12!

12 comments:

Well done you! I'm 5.6 and went from 175 down to 152 lbs. Still a bit to go though, but it feels a lot healthier and better! Cutting out alcohol, meat, cow milk and gluten as much as possible definitely helps!

I too have lost a great deal of weight. My scale had been lying to me, so when I thought I had only gained 5 lbs, it turned out I had gained 15! I have hovered around 155 lbs since high school, myself a 5'5" girl but eventually allowed myself to get to 170 lbs. At the end of last June I noticed that I was getting the jitters whenever I had dessert, and it freaked me out that I was getting pre-diabetic. I haven't been to a doctor about it yet, but I decided then and there to cut processed sugars out of my diet. Then in October I learned of the joy of hoop dancing. I now am hovering between 140 and 145 lbs - I'm in the middle of a plateau.

I know what you mean when you say that you still feel huge. I had mentioned to one of my besties that I had lost between 25 and 30 lbs and she was really surprised - she thought I had lost 35 or more! I have also been doing push ups and sit ups using an exercise ball for a wider range of movement, so I think that I've lost a lot of fat weight but gained muscle weight, which is denser. But although others see someone so much more svelte, I still see my "jelly roll with my six-pack." I think it comes from being a gradual change - my friend had lived in Ontario until recently, and so she saw the change as really drastic. But since I've seen myself in the mirror every day while this has been going on, I KNOW that I have changed, but I still don't know that I have changed. It is a conundrum.

But if I'm looking half as great as you are, than I'm looking awesome. Thanks for sharing your success story, and congratulations, you're looking so great!

Robyn you look amazing!!! Good for you sticking to it and doing great too. I have to say I've been lucky during my pregnancies and after. I lose weight immediately when I get pregnant, and maybe put on 20-25lbs during. And after I usually lose it within a few weeks. I was so small with my last pregnancy that most people didn't believe I was full term at the end lol. Right now I'm 143lbs and about 5'5 so I'm at a very comfortable weight and happy with how I look and feel. I feel my best when I'm right around 140. I don't like to be too skinny either or all my curves disappear!

And most people forget that muscle weighs more than fat, so it's not all about the numbers either!

Congrats to you on all the hard work! I have had a CONSTANT battle with my weight my whole life, and like you lost a lot for my wedding and finally felt like myself. I kept it all off and was feeling great until being pregnant with M. Now, over a year later, I'm still heavy. Not my heaviest ever, but I just feel ick. I'm around 200 now, and I find I'm happiest around 160-70. I've been thinner, but didn't really feel like myself.

I'm hoping to do lots of activity this summer. Foodwise, we have been doing so much better since moving to the country, so not really understanding why at least some of the weight isn't leaving me. But, then again, I haven't made any REAL effort yet. Last time I lost weight I had a lot of success on Weight Watchers, and I feel like if I forced myself to get back in that mindset it would work again. Nothing has really motivated me to get going on it yet, though. That is a whole other question!

Robyn, THANK YOU for posting this! I gained quite a bit during my second pregnancy and have struggled with losing it. I've been having a battle with myself for the last 3 years trying to lose the "baby weight".... I started trying *for real* again last week and finally feel the strength to do it! I'm only down 5 pounds so far (I need to lose 30), but I'm feeling very determined, and I really appreciate you sharing your story. Your inspiration came at just the right time for me. Thank you.

All I can say is Wow!! You look amazing, Robyn! Yes, I too have lost some weight over the last years. I'm down 18 pounds, but would like to lose a bit more...I'm at a bit of a plateau. However, I also find it's not only about the numbers (the scale, your pants size). I feel better, I sleep better and I have more energy. So those weeks when I don't lose I remind myself of these other benefits and keep soldiering on! Thanks for the inspiration.

You look great, Robyn! I too took my time losing my post baby weight and really didn't feel like I'd lost it all until I toned up. I run/walk 4 miles a day and do 100 sit up's twice a day (I was doing just 50, but added another set before I shower to get a bit more in...I can't tell you how much this helped the baby tummy, seriously). You don't eat starches after 5pm. Do you eat dinner before that, or after, or a snack? We eat dinner at 6 or 7 so I don't know how you do that. ;) You really do look amazing, your husband must be loving it too. Keep up the good work, and I know this will inspire a lot of people.

You look amazing,!!! I love that all you did was eat healthier. are you sure you didn't do any exercise? i'm okay with my current weight. we've been eating later than we should and i'm the one putting on weight. :P some of my pants are feeling tighter! lol. when i had gained before, i just started eating out less (like not at all) and healthier. keep up the awesome work. :)

About Me

I am a 30-something mom who knits, and takes pictures, a lot. I am a mother to 3 adorable boys, Sean (Dec 2006), Mackenzie (June 2008) & Quentin (Nov 2010). This is my journey through motherhood, photography, the books I read, life in general and knitting, of course. Oh, and other crafts too!